Crime Watchers Hotline

Crime Watchers Hotline
Organisation information
Leader(s)	British Ministry of Magic (possibly)
Intentions	To report sightings of criminals
Affiliation	British Ministry of Magic (possibly)
Enemies	Criminals

"The public is warned that Black is armed and extremely dangerous. A special hotline has been set up, and any sighting of Black should be reported immediately."

— A Muggle news broadcast in 1993

The Crime Watchers Hotline was a special hotline for Muggles set up in the summer of 1993, so that Muggles could report any sighting of Sirius Black, without compromising the knowledge of the existence of the wizarding world. It was either run by Ministry of Magic wizards or the Ministry of Magic became aware of the calls the Muggles made to it.

History

Creation

The hotline was set up in around the late July of 1993, presumably by the Ministry of Magic, or by order of the Muggle Prime Minister, who was aware of Sirius Black's real wizard status.

Dufftown sighting

"The sleepy female Muggle communicated, via a machine called Telephone, the Muggle Crime Watchers Hotline, and immediately the Ministry of Magic Witch Watchers was informed."

— Sirius Black Sighted, by E. Limus

Sirius Black was sighted in Dufftown, near Hogwarts Castle, sometime between 2 September and 31 October of 1993, by a sleepy Muggle woman. She called the hotline, which automatically alerted the Ministry of Magic's services. A special squad from the Ministry was dispatched to Dufftown, as were hundreds of Dementors, to the panic of the town's population. However, when they got there, Black was already gone.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (First mentioned)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film) (First identified as Crime Watchers Hotline)